


Roses and Rhymes

by spaceoddly



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, Get ready for angst, M/M, Riku is the beast, Sora and Roxas are brothers, Sora is beauty, and some fluff don't worry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-01-19 08:49:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12407124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceoddly/pseuds/spaceoddly
Summary: When Sora's search for his missing brother leads him to an enchanted castle, he comes face to face with a prince hiding a terrible curse.  Will Sora find the light in the prince's heart?  Or just see the beast lurking within?A SoRiku Beauty and the Beast AU.





	1. Far Off Places

**Author's Note:**

> It's been 84 years! I've had this brainchild since Disney released their live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and I couldn't keep it in my head any longer. I'll be taking some creative liberties though, so buckle up for a few surprises.
> 
> The usual disclaimers apply and the rating may be subject to change as the story goes on.

_Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything most hearts desired, the prince dreamed only of an adventurous life beyond his castle. The prince's dissatisfaction began to corrupt his heart and he grew to be selfish and unkind._

_But one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered the prince a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Unimpressed by the beggar's offer, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the woman away. But the woman warned the prince not to be deceived by his desires, and to be wary of the terrible darkness growing inside his heart._

_When he dismissed her again, the beggar's robes melted away to reveal her true form - a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that light no longer lived inside his heart._

_As punishment for his darkness, the enchantress cast a powerful spell on the castle, trapping the prince and all who lived there inside. She told the prince that her spell would begin to transform him and soon, his outward appearance would match the dark beast within._

_Angry and ashamed, the prince hid himself deep inside the castle, with a magic mirror serving as his only window to the outside world he once dreamed of. But the rose the enchantress offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would continue to bloom until his twenty-first year._

_If the prince could learn to overcome his darkness to love another, and earn their love in return, by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken, and the prince would be free of his darkness. But if not, then he would be doomed to roam the halls of his castle as a beast forever._

_As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope of earning the love of another. For who could ever stare into the deepest darkness and find the light?_

* * *

 As Sora exhales, his eyes narrow in on the cloud of vapor that escapes his lips; he glides his fingers along his exposed forearm to find goosebumps and freezing skin. He steps forward anyway, but looks down to the ground when the sound of snow crunching under his boots hits his ears.

When had it become so cold? Just minutes ago, Sora was weaving through the autumn woods with a crisp breeze and colorful leaves. Now it feels like he's stepping through the heart of winter. Curious, Sora turns over his shoulder to glance the way he came and he sees the barren trees and grassy path he wandered as a child. It seems as if there's some invisible border that divides the woods between fall and winter.

And he's just crossed it.

Sora bites his bottom lip gently in contemplation: Should he turn back? He isn't dressed to continue; his thin robe and slacks may fend off autumn breezes, but not snow and frostbite.

No! There is no turning back. Sora refuses to spend another night warm by the fire in Traverse Town while his brother is off suffering God knows where. Roxas was supposed to spend only a week in Twilight Town, just to trade and insure they'd have enough money and food to survive the winter. But it's been double that time with no sign of Roxas and Sora can't shake the sense that something is wrong.

It's been just the two of them together for years now. Their cottage on the outskirts of Traverse Town is cramped, and the small-minded town of bakers, merchants, and farmers leaves Sora wanting something more, but it's home, and where they promised to look after each other after their father passed. They're poor, which only gives the townspeople something more to whisper about, but the two brothers are happy enough. However, no money or prospects means they rely only on what Roxas manages to sell in Twilight Town.

Every year when Roxas leaves for the city, Sora promises to stay put until he returns. Even if he finds his brother on the side of the road, Sora knows Roxas will chastise him for leaving home. Fear of a lecture never stops Sora from doing anything, so the boy continues through the snow, the cold be damned.

The snow on the ground is thick and resistant, like strong hands grabbing his ankles to hold him back. The wind grows stronger with every step Sora takes; he shivers involuntarily and hugs his cloak closer around his body each time his arms shake. Despite his pounding heart and desperation to reach Roxas, Sora's eyes are heavy and his legs are growing sluggish.

Why hadn't he waited for morning to leave home?

Titus, one of his few friends in town, had tried to stop him, but Sora is too headstrong for everyone's good.

_"Sora, just wait until morning."_

_"If Roxas needs help, he needs it now. I can't wait!"_

_"Let me come with you. Selphie and Wakka can help us search; the woods are too dangerous to search alone."_

_"I have to do this by myself. Roxas would do the same for me!"_

Sora replays the conversation in his head to keep his mind occupied as he walks. He mouths the words to watch the air take form in front of his lips, but the distraction doesn't last long. The cold is starting to ache in his bones and the snow on the ground is suddenly heavier. It's as if nature is urging him to turn back, like each gust of freezing wind is a threatening whisper in his ear. Still, Sora persists.

He mentally compromises to stop and ask for shelter at the first inn or cottage he happens upon, but he isn't stupid enough to think he'll actually find one out here. Something is off about these parts of the woods; Sora had never seen them in all his years of living on the woods' edge. It was almost as if they were here by...

A wolf's howl snaps Sora out of his thoughts. It's distant, but still too close for comfort. Sora moves forward with newfound vigor, but he can't tell if he's making any progress. Everything looks the same: snow covered ground, black dead trees, and a strengthening breeze that seems to be pushing against him.

Sora hears the wolf again, but this time it's a growl instead of a howl. That is definitely too close.

He makes the mistake of glancing behind him to see a wolf, grey fur, sharp claws, snarling teeth, and all. There's only one, but Sora's heart drops into the pit of his stomach. He takes a hesitant step backward while reaching into sack around his shoulder to pull out a small dagger. The wolf is unintimidated and Sora only wishes he'd inherited his father's assertive glare like Roxas had.

"It's okay; stay back and we can be friends." Sora doesn't feel stupid for speaking to a wolf. He's optimistic; maybe the wolf doesn't want to eat him. "I'm just looking for someone. I promise I don't want to hurt-"

Sora's words are cut short by the wolf's howl. He curses when he realizes the wolf is calling its pack to help hunt him. No longer interested in subtlety, or anything Roxas taught him about how to handle wolves, Sora turns and takes off running. The wolf gives chase and, as they run, Sora hears several more join their leader in the hunt. He doesn't look back, instead focusing only on the dark path ahead.

The snow and icy wind are no longer at the forefront of Sora's mind. Escape and survival are his only instincts and, without thinking, Sora turns to the right, hopping off the somewhat clear path to venture deeper into the woods. The wolves follow him, but the taller snow banks and thick trees help Sora put distance between him and the pack. He ducks under thick branches and occasionally stumbles over roots hidden under the snow, but never fully loses his balance. He still senses the wolves closing in; he can almost feel their hunger and desperation to catch him in the air.

What happens next is a miracle.

Suddenly, Sora is no longer traversing through pitch black woods, but running along a stone paved road, clear of snow and dead leaves. Sora's eyes follow the path ahead of him through a tall, intimidating gate that guards an aged gothic castle that towers higher than any building Sora has seen before. The wolves are still behind him, but the prospect of safety and shelter pushes him forward and, with the last endurance he can muster, Sora runs through the castle's open gates and into the vast courtyard.

He runs several more feet until he realizes the sound of the wolves feet in pursuit no longer rings in his ears. Sora finally stops and turns to face the wolves to see the entire pack has stopped short of the giant castle gates. One by one, the wolves turn and run back into the thickness of the woods. Pride and relief both surge through Sora's veins and he concludes he must have scared the wolves off...for now.

"That's right, you better run," Sora taunts the retreating wolves, but speaks quietly out of fear of them hearing.

Sora turns back to face the castle and glances up to take in the gigantic structure. It reminds him of something out of one of the storybooks he loves, like a dragon's lair or an evil king's lair. The spires are covered in moss, even to the top, and the gargoyles scattered on the various balconies all seem to be glaring down at him. As Sora approaches the front steps, he passes a dry, dirty fountain that sits in the center of the courtyard. The bushes and few patches of grass are unruly and wild and Sora finally wonders if anyone still lives here. He certainly doesn't remember anyone in town speaking of an old castle in the middle of the woods...

If anyone does live here, they're certainly untidy, but Sora hopes they'll let him stay the night so he can continue his search for Roxas in the morning.

The castle's front doors are tall and heavy; Sora can only manage to push them open a few inches before slipping inside through the crack. The foyer is dark, dusty, and empty, but Sora immediately feels warmer. He takes a few steps forward before letting out a tentative, "hello?" At his words, Sora hears the door behind him pull shut and the boy turns to look behind him, expecting to see someone he can talk to, but he's still alone. It makes no sense, but Sora can only shrug and assume the wind pulled the door shut.

"Is there anyone here?" Sora tries again. He gets no reply but his own voice bouncing off the walls. It seems that he's alone, but Sora can't shake the feeling that he's being watched by somebody.

He glances towards a table against the wall and finds the only source of light in the foyer, a lit candle. So there is somebody here!

Sora grabs the dish the candle sits in and holds his arm out forward to light his way further into the castle. He's not quite sure where to go; there's a grand set of stairs in the middle of the foyer that splits off and leads to different sections of the castle, and several sets of doors on either side of him. Slowly, Sora starts up the stairs, deciding if he's going to find the master of the castle and beg to stay until morning, his chambers have to be upstairs.

But the castle is a maze; the second floor is decorated by towering sculptures of demonic-looking creatures. There are numerous doors to the right of Sora as he walks, but the first few he tries are locked; he may be an uninvited guest, but Sora quickly grows suspicious of this mysterious castle.

Sora comes to the end of the second floor, a dead end with only a ripped painting on the floor in front of him, and he lets out a frustrated sigh. Maybe he is alone...

A door behind Sora creaks open and he turns as fast as he can react, hoping to finally come face to face with someone who lives in the castle. He finds himself alone, which only confuses him further. His confusion beckons him forward, through the cracked door which was concealing a spiraling staircase. He must be in one of the mossy towers he saw outside.

When a harsh coughing fit suddenly echoes down the staircase, Sora almost drops his candle in surprise. They may not be words, but Sora recognizes the sound, which elicits an array of emotions. Relief and fear fuse together into adrenaline and Sora tightens his grip on the candle.

"Roxas?" he calls out. This time, Sora's words receive a response - another fit of coughs that urge him to run forward. Sora sprints so quickly, he skips every other step; he stumbles every so often, but always finds his balance immediately. The staircase seems to stretch on forever in the pitch black darkness, illuminated softly only by his candle. With every step he climbs, the coughs grow louder, then closer, and there's no doubt in Sora's heart that Roxas is here.

How or why is a mystery to him; all that matters is the certainty that Sora has found his brother.

The stairs finally lead to a doorway that Sora pushes open without a second thought. He's in a room with several empty cells - a dungeon - but one cell in the back corner is occupied. "Roxas!" Sora runs to the cell and falls to his knees at the sight of his brother leaned against the stone cold wall, coughing blood into his sleeve.

Roxas glances over at Sora and his eyes widen like he's seen a ghost. "Sora, is it really you?" His voice is hoarse and dry, giving away that he isn't had much to eat or drink in the time that he's been here.

Sora nods and tries his best to hold back tears, though the effort is in vain. "It's me, it's me," he repeats for several seconds. He sticks his hand through the gaps in the cell bars to try to pull his brother close. He wants to ask why Roxas is here, what happened to Twilight Town, or his horse, or anything, but a sense of urgency keeps Sora from saying much. Instead he starts to glance around the room and quickly grows frustrated. "We have to get you out of here; where are the keys?"

Roxas doesn't say anything at first; instead, he shakes his head and he stutters in a tone of fear that Sora's never heard before. "Sora, no, you have to go!" Sora furrows his brow in confusion, but that doesn't deter Roxas. "The monster - he'll get you too. Sora you have to leave before he finds you!" Roxas bursts into a fit of coughs again before he can continue warning his brother; this causes Sora only to hold Roxas's hand tighter and he doesn't budge an inch.

"I'm not going anywhere, not without you." Sora feels Roxas's hand tremble; whatever is here has terrified his brother, shattered his spirit, and locked him away. Sora knows he should feel frightened too, but he doesn't. Not when he's so close to bringing his brother home. "I won't leave without you."

The door to the dungeon slams off its hinges and a strong gust extinguishes the flame of Sora's candle. Left in the dark, Sora hears Roxas gasp and shout for Sora to run, but his brother's voice is drowned out by the sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer. Sora narrows his eyes in an attempt to outline the approaching figure, but it's as though they're wearing the darkness, shrouded completely in a blanket of utter blackness.

"What are you doing here?" asks the figure hidden by darkness.

Sora doesn't answer, instead opting to ask, "who are you?" He can hear the figure pacing in the darkness, but they never step forward to reveal themselves. There's silence for a few seconds and Sora forces himself to exhale after realizing he's been holding his breath.

"The master of this castle," the figure finally replies. Sora notices an edge of impatience and frustration in the figure's voice, especially when he speaks again. "Tell me why have you come here"

Anger at the castle's master for torturing Roxas overwhelms any kind of fear Sora feels. He gestures to Roxas with his free hand and focuses on one spot in the darkness to glare at. "I've come for my brother. He's sick and you're holding him prisoner! Let him go!"

"Sora don't!" Roxas shouts, forcing himself to be heard. "Leave while you can, before he takes you too."

"Silence!" the master yells, catching both brothers off guard. Another beat of silence passes before the master speaks, this time with a more restrained tone. "Everything in this castle belongs to me. Your brother trespassed and now he is my property as well." The master takes one step closer to Sora, but still does not step out of the darkness. "You should leave before I make you my prisoner as well."

"You don't own him!" Sora snaps angrily; the injustice boils his blood, but he forces himself to bite his tongue. His brother's fate rests in the master's hands; Sora may not have regard for the consequences of his words, but he'll watch his tone for Roxas's sake. "I mean...there must be something. I'll do anything to help Roxas."

These words seem to catch the master's attention. He finally stops pacing and doesn't wait for an awkward pause of silence before speaking. "Anything?"

"Sora don't!" Roxas squeezes his brother's hand. Sora turns to stare at him and can't escape the desperation in his eyes. "I promised father I'd look out for you. I can't let you stay here. I'm begging you, go!"

The words of their father echo in Sora's mind and he sees so much of the man in Roxas. He knows, if their roles were opposite, Sora would refuse to let Roxas argue on his behalf, but that isn't reality; he's here, on the outside of the cell, free to leave this castle and return home. Sora can't rest until Roxas has that same freedom.

Reluctantly, Sora lets go of Roxas's hand and offers his brother a sad smile. "I promised too."

Sora stands and turns to face the shrouded man head on. "Yes, I'll do anything." He can't help but wonder what the master has in mind, but Sora knows, whatever it is, it won't matter to him; no matter what, his brother is leaving this castle a free man.

"How about a duel?" the master asks; now his tone is cocky and teasing, as if the fate of the brothers is a game to him. Sora balls his hands into fists to resist the urge to snap at the master for making light of this. "We'll duel for your fates. If I win, he remains my prisoner and you leave him here forever; if you win, he walks free."

Roxas is protesting as loud as he can, urging Sora to leave between coughing fits. His pleas fall on deaf ears, as determination and confidence fill Sora to the brim. Even with the stakes so high, Sora can't help but feel excited. He'll be a hero, just like the knights in the storybooks. But he doesn't accept the offer just yet. There's still one more thing, one curiosity he needs satisfied before he can agree to a fight.

"Step into the light."

An unsettling silence spreads through the dungeon hall as the master seems to quietly contemplate Sora's request. Truthfully, it doesn't matter to Sora what the master looks like, or if he's even human for that matter. He's read stories of heroes slaying dragons, hydras, and all kinds of monsters; if they can slay beasts, certainly Sora can win a duel.

Despite his confidence, Sora isn't prepared for what he sees when the master does finally step forward.

The dusty light from the stained glass window illuminates the master just enough for Sora to make out his features. He's a young man, standing a head taller than Sora and his frame is much broader, with silver hair that stretches just past his shoulders, and sickly pale skin. He wears a thick black robe that seems to be hiding a toned physique, but, most notably, a piece of black silk is wrapped over his eyes, hiding their true nature from the outside world.

Sora isn't sure why Roxas is so frightened of this man, but he remains unintimidated.

With a cocky smirk, Sora crosses his arms over his chest and moves his gaze up to the man's covered eyes. "I accept."

The master turns on his heel, his cloak fluttering as an extension of the dark shadow he steps back into. With one last lingering glance towards Roxas, Sora puts on his bravest face and follows the master into the darkness and down the spiraling staircase he came up. His eyes are trained on the master's back, but it's hard to tell where the darkness ends and where his cloak begins.

Each window seal holds a candelabra, all lit and burning bright, illuminating the staircase. Sora furrows his brow as he clearly remembers the staircase as pitch black on his way up. Had the master lit them? Or maybe his servants...

"My castle isn't like most," the master says, as if reading Sora's mind aloud. Sora stumbles over a step in surprise, but stables himself by grabbing onto a window seal. He hears the master chuckle playfully and Sora narrows his eyes at the back of the master's head. "Things happen here that would be difficult to explain to someone like you."

Sora finds himself glaring even harder. "Try me."

The master doesn't reply; they go back to walking in silence, which puts Sora on edge. His mind is racing with a hundred questions. Before, his mind had been absorbed with freeing Roxas and while that goal still dominates his thoughts, Sora can't quench his curiosity.

Who was this man that ruled over an empty castle? How could he torture Roxas one moment and then playfully toy with Sora the next? It sounded absurd, even to Sora in his own head, but it was as if the master were two men in one.

"Riku," the master interrupts Sora's thoughts again. The boy raises an eyebrow in confusion, but before he can ask, the master clarifies. "My name."

 _Riku..._ the name dances around in Sora's head, strong and warm, despite the man's cold and mysterious demeanor. Still, it suits him; Sora isn't sure why he believes that, but it's like instinct. He decides he should give up on making sense of anything.

Riku leads him back down the main hall of the castle's floor to the crossroads in the center of the foyer. From the corner of his eye, Sora notices Riku gesture down the stairs to one of the now open rooms near the castle's front door. "You'll find everything you need to prepare for our duel in the den; one of my servants is waiting to assist you."

"So you do have servants!" Riku bites back a snicker at Sora's selective hearing. He watches Sora start down the stairs hesitantly, but the boy grows more confident as he comes closer to the room and feels the heat of the crackling fireplace inside.

"Sora," Riku calls out. The boy stops walking and slowly turns his head, somehow surprised to know Riku has learned his name. "Meet me in the ballroom once you're ready. And try not to keep me waiting."

Curiosity and confusion fall of Sora's face and the stern determination Riku had seen in the dungeon takes their place.

With a single nod of his head in Riku's direction, Sora turns and passes through the doors of the den; Riku won't know what hit him.


	2. Daring Sword Fights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't thank you all enough for the comments and kudos! They really make my day.
> 
> And now we have Sora and Riku's duel, with Roxas's fate hanging in the balance. We also get to meet our Lumière and Mrs. Potts; can you guess which character fills which role?

Amber light and crackling wood lure Sora into the den. The gravitational pull of the fireplace brings his cold bones back to the forefront of his mind; Riku's castle had felt icy when he first arrived, hardly an improvement from the unforgiving winter outside. But the warmth feels almost strange, as if Sora is following a beckoning hand through the pair of doors that hid the den away from the foyer.

When he steps inside, his eyes widen in amazement. The fireplace stretches across the wall and a red and gold recliner positioned several feet off the fireplace is calling his name. For a second, Sora forgets his impending duel with Riku and the stakes he's wagered. Just the prospect of resting his feet leads Sora to dash to the chair, but he stops when he finally notices he's not alone.

A girl, who can't be any older to him, is leaning in towards the fire, poking the logs to encourage more crackling that sends relaxing shivers down Sora's spine. He assumes she's a servant - maybe a maid - by her simple attire, but her beauty shines through her plain dress and white apron. Her auburn hair is tied into a neat ponytail and, when she turns to face him, Sora finds himself staring into a pair of beautiful blue eyes.

Where had she been when he came stumbling into the castle?

"Look at you; he expects you to fight before you've had any rest?" It's clear she's speaking to him, but Sora isn't sure how to reply. He only straightens his posture as she moves away from the fire to come observe him up close. "Don't get me started on that poor boy he has locked in the dungeon. I've told him this is no way to treat guests."

"Guests?!"

The servant girl stops her rambling to look at Sora; her features soften when she notices his confusion. "You'll have to be patient with Riku - I mean, the master," she says, her voice suddenly soft and gentle. "No one remembers the last time we had visitors in the castle. And he gets so angry and acts without thinking..." Just as quick as she stopped, she starts again and Sora finds her words slipping in one ear, only to fall out the other.

Sora lets her talk on for a few more seconds before anxiously clearing his throat. "I think I have to get ready for a fight." The temptation of the fireplace may be deterring, but Sora finds his resolve again; every second he spends here, Roxas spends alone in the dungeon. The girl seems to sense his adrenaline and softens again. But, instead of leaving him be, she takes his hand and leads him to the impressive recliner.

"You sit for a second; I'll get you some tea," she says, almost as if she hadn't heard him.

Sora turns to watch her go, but sticks out his hand as he calls her back. "I don't need any-"

His words are cut short when she turns back to glare at him; her eyes are domineering and maternal, but somehow still soft and inviting. "It won't be a fair fight if you don't have your strength," she replies with hands on her hips. "So take a seat; I'll be back in a moment."

Sora doesn't object, this time letting the girl take her leave in silence. Did she just...lecture _him_? This place is getting weirder by the second.

Out of fear of upsetting the servant, Sora slides into the recliner; immediately, he both loves and hates the thick, fluffy cushions. This chair is far more comfortable than every bed he's ever slept in. It feels as though he's sinking, in the most pleasurable way possible. The heat of the fire presses against his face, like the hand of his mother. His eyes are heavy and flicker shut, before snapping open, and then slowly sliding shut again.

He could sleep here forever.

The creak of the door penetrates his daze and Sora bolts upright in the chair; he's not sure how long he dozed, or if he really slipped away at all, but the girl is back, pushing a cart made of gold and silver. "I hope you like milk with your tea," she says, her airy voice a far cry from her earlier pointed lecture.

Sora watches her pour from the teapot into a porcelain cup. The steam from the water hits his nose and surges a sense of alertness through his body. He takes the cup from her with a nod of thanks before taking a tentative sip. Despite the heat, the taste of warm cinnamon is refreshing. He finishes the cup after a quick minute, but grows a little uneasy when he realizes the girl has been watching him intently the entire time.

"Is everything alright?" he asks.

"Oh, yes, sorry!" she looks away to pour him another cup. "We don't get visitors every day, and I want to leave a good impression to make up for Riku's."

Sora offers her a smile; this situation may not be ideal, but she's the first normal person he's met in the castle. "You're doing a great job. I'm Sora, by the way."

"Oh, I know, your brother told me all about you." She doesn't get to see Sora's look of surprise, as she moves to the wardrobe situated in the corner of the den. "We tried to take care of him when he first showed up. We were so excited; Olette prepared a room for him the east wing, and Hayner was adamant we cook everything in the kitchen for him. Even Lea took a liking to him." It's hard for Sora to hear her clearly as she rummages through everything stored in the wardrobe, but he can't stop himself from smiling at what he is able to make out.

"I guess I owe you for taking care of him," Sora says as she heads back towards the chair. "Thank you..." he trails off once he realizes he hasn't even asked for her name yet.

"Kairi," she introduces herself before dropping a heap of white clothes onto his lap. "You'll need to change into those so you're dressed for your duel with Riku."

Sora looks away from Kairi to the clothes in his lap, all white and uniform, thickly padded, with a strange looking helmet and a single white glove. This definitely wasn't the suit or armor he'd pictured himself wearing when Riku first challenged him. "Is this all really necessary?" he asks Kairi with raised eyebrows.

"You're asking me if safety is necessary?" Kairi fires back. Sora sighs and stares down at his uniform as Kairi dives into another lecture.

* * *

"A duel? Really? You're too dramatic."

It feels as though Riku's heard those words a hundred times; his huff of annoyance in response has become more of a growl. Still, Lea feels the need to repeat himself.

"A handsome boy waltzes right into the castle, we try to pamper him, and you lock him up. And now _another_ handsome boy struts in and you challenge him to a sword fight! I want to make sure I'm following because this is insane. You do realize you're insane?"

The combination of Lea's complaints and pacing are ringing in Riku's ears. He's trying to take deep breaths to center himself, but it seems to be Lea's mission to break his focus. "I'm just saying. Years of nothing and then you get two chances back to back; you really don't think one of these brothers could be the one?"

"No. I'm not thinking about that." Riku snaps back through gritted teeth, but he knows his lie is obvious. Even with the blindfold covering his eyes, Riku can see Lea run a hand through his hair in exhaustion.

"You keep telling yourself that," Lea waves his hand dismissively. "So, you think the kid can fight?"

"Who knows."

It wasn't as if Sora radiated skill or tact - poor farm boys are rarely well versed in anything - but the fire inside Sora's heart isn't something Riku can dismiss. His passion and determination permeate the air, as if they have an essence all their own. It isn't something Riku can easily put into words, but there's so much about Sora that reminds him of well... himself. Before the curse and suffocating darkness, that is.

"Either way, he has moxie for agreeing to take you on." Riku can't resist the short curve of his lips; Lea always has a way of tapping into his mind.

Courage or not, it seems to be taking the boy a long time to come face him. The adrenaline inside Riku begins to mix with his temper, a dangerous combination that rises like a tide. He clenches his jaw and fist in tandem in an effort to find his center. This duel must be fair; he repeats the phrase in his head like a mantra. The temperature of his blood seems to settle for a second, only to shoot back up at the sensation of Lea's hand on his shoulder.

"Try not to scare him; he is technically still a guest, after all." He isn't sure if Lea is being genuine, or trying his hardest to make this worse.

"I'm not going to!" Riku's voice is louder - and deeper - than intended. "You really think I would let that out in-"

The ballroom door creaking open silences Riku, and both men turn their heads to see a stone-faced Kairi standing in the doorway.

"He's ready," is all she says.

* * *

The air inside Sora's helmet is already hot, thanks to his shaky, nervous breaths. He has forced tunnel vision, only able to clearly see Riku standing a few feet in front of him. The master is still in his black cloak and blindfold, and Sora can't help but wonder how Riku expects to fight dressed like _that_. Sora tries to calm his nerves by telling himself this will be easy. He knows, deep in the back of his head, that the blindfold won't hinder Riku, even if that makes absolutely no sense.

His nerves and reservations may be swimming circles in his heart, but Sora refuses to show them. He clutches the hilt of his blade and ignores the sweaty palm inside the glove. "You better not hold anything back, Riku!" he shouts confidently.

Riku chuckles, perhaps finding humor in Sora's quip, or maybe just trying to intimidate him; Sora assumes the latter.

"The match will consist of only one round," Kairi says as she steps in the middle of the two men. "The one who disarms and subdues the other will be the winner. No lethal strikes or dishonorable play." There's a beat of silence before Kairi furrows her brow and narrows her eyes. "I mean it. You boys got that?" Sora is the only one who nods, but, to him, it seems Kairi's words are pointed towards Riku. Sora hopes he'll fight fairly.

Riku raises his blade, a long, red and purple sword that looks more like a demon's wing than a weapon; Sora raises his own sword, but its gold handle and silver blade seem so plain in comparison to Riku's.

They both take several steps towards the center of the ballroom; Kairi steps to the side, near the door, and now nothing stands between Sora and Riku. Each second of silence echoes in Sora's chest with the beats of his heart. It feels as though eternity passes before the two bow in ceremony. It's only when Sora hears Kairi shout, "begin," that time accelerates.

Sora's footing is threatened immediately when Riku lunges forward. Two blades clash, the ringing of metal against metal echoing ominously throughout the ballroom. Sora's instincts serve him well enough as he's able to parry every one of Riku's expert swings; however, trapped on the defensive is no way to win a battle.

Sora tries to banish any feelings of inferiority as he grips the hilt of his blade with both hands; Riku holds his with only one in a position raised above his head, as if his sword is a hawk circling over Sora like prey. Riku brings his blade down for a strong swing, but Sora meets him with equal force. They struggle for a moment before Sora musters up the strength to push Riku back; he can't help smirking as the master stumbles one foot backward.

Seizing the opportunity, Sora runs forward, swinging his blade to Riku's left, then right before making a horizontal swipe at his midsection. Riku blocks every strike, but Sora no longer feels off guard and outmatched.

Feeling bold, Sora angles his next lunge upward towards Riku's face; this catches the other man by surprise and he sidesteps with less than a second to spare. Sora's blade slices a few of Riku's silver hairs, and the a few inches off the flowing end of his blindfold.

Riku glances down at the small pile of hair and cloth on the floor; he doesn't strike back, but he does not lower his blade either. "I'm impressed, Sora," he says. His breaths are still reserved and even, as if he hadn't even begun fighting yet; Sora notices this and tries to level his heavy breathing to conceal his exertion. "Where did you learn to fight?"

Before Sora can answer, Riku charges forward; he swings his blade at Sora's right thigh, a strike the boy doesn't block, but dodges with a quick sidestep. Now behind Riku, Sora brings his blade down to strike Riku's back; his eyes widen in surprise when Riku expertly rolls forward to put himself out of range of the attack. With distance between them again, and confirmation of Riku's more unorthodox tactics, Sora grips his handle tighter and narrows his eyes.

"My brother," Sora says, after a few seconds of awkward silence, to insure Riku won't attack again. "We sparred every day; it was one of the only ways to pass the time."

"And now you're fighting for him, how poetic."

It feels like Riku's toying with him, but Sora refuses to lose his composure. He can't afford to lose, not with Roxas's life on the line. Their childhood flashes in Sora's eyes in an instant; he won't let this be the last time he sees his brother. Riku may be a formidable opponent, but he lacks the drive Sora feels surging inside him.

"Enough talking!" Sora gives no other warning as he charges forward, duplicating Riku's earlier trick.

Riku is able to parry every slash and strike, but Sora's offensive vigor is a welcome surprise; he expected as much before their duel, but to see Sora's spirit powering every swing of his blade is impressive. Riku had almost forgotten the raw strength of the light.

They continue to fight on equal footing for several more minutes, but, to Sora, it feels like forever. His fiery spirit may match Riku's natural strength and skill, but exhaustion adds weight to his limbs. Both his strikes and parries become sloppy and wide. He wonders if Riku is as strained as he is; if that's the case, the man is an expert at hiding it. Regardless, Sora fights through his exhaustion and aching muscles, striking recklessly and hoping for Riku to make only one mistake.

When they clash again, Riku's weight overwhelms Sora and, despite his resistance, his legs buckle and he drops to his knees. Riku holds his blade inches above Sora's shoulder, keeping Sora from reaching for his dropped sword just a few feet away.

"Seems as though I've won," Riku says, his tone sickeningly smug.

Sora refuses to meet Riku's blindfolded gaze. He clutches his fist in anger, nails digging deep enough into his palms to draw small drops of blood. This can't be it. He won't let this be it. There's only one option, a candle flame that flickers in Sora's mind. This is his last chance to save Roxas; he has to risk everything.

Sora sweeps his foot against Riku's ankles, tripping the man and releasing Sora from his bind. Sora lunges for his discarded sword and hops back up to his feet, the roles of the two men now reversed. He's about to bring his blade down to pin Riku to the floor, but all that happens next is a blur, something no amount of spirit could prepare him for.

Riku lets out an enraged shout and a burst or black and blue energy shoots from the palm of his hand. This strange energy hits Sora square in his chest and sends him flying back several feet. The fall to the ground knocks the wind out of his lunges, but all Sora can focus on is the intense burning sensation surging through his chest. He rests his hand over his heart and, for a moment, it feels like he's holding his palm over an open flame. Sora opens his mouth to speak, but he has no air to form words; instead, he can only gasp and moan.

What had Riku done to him?

Sora tears off his helmet to get fresher air into his lunges; his brown bangs are sweaty and stuck to his forehead, but he has no strength to wipe his perspiration away. He sees Riku stand back up and start to slowly approach him. Eyes widened in fear, Sora tries to crawl away, but can only make it a few feet before the pain in his chest overwhelms him.

When Riku is only a few feet away, Kairi surprises them both by stepping in between them. She stretches out her arms and glares at Riku. "Enough!" she shouts. "The duel is over!" This seems to stop Riku in his tracks and, after a moment, he drops his blade and turns away from them.

The ballroom is deathly quiet for what feels like an eternity, until Riku takes a deep breath and says, "I win, Sora. Your brother remains my prisoner, but you must leave the castle immediately." His voice lacks its earlier pride and taunting; instead, it's much deeper and restrained, as if Riku is holding back floodgates inside of him.

Devastation and despair run through Sora's body; the burn in his chest is fading, but it's quickly replaced by guilt and sadness. He struggles to stand, but powers through it. Even if he lost, he can't leave Roxas here to die. "Please, you can't, he's my-"

"You agreed to the terms of the duel," Riku snaps. "Your brother is my prisoner forever."

Sora can't stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks, staining his tan skin. He tries to hide his face in his arm, refusing to give Riku the satisfaction of seeing him devastated, but his sobs still echo through the ballroom. Kairi's hand hovers his shoulder, unsure if it's her place to console him. Her eyes dart between Sora and Riku, but she decides to wrap her arms around Sora's shoulders to hold him close.

"Perhaps Sora can have a few minutes with Roxas to say goodbye?" she asks Riku. When the man huffs in response, Kairi loses her temper. "Surely you aren't that cold-hearted, Riku! Forever can spare a minute."

Riku turns to glance at Sora over his shoulder and his hard expression softens. He isn't sure what sensation stabs at his heart, but maybe it's something akin to guilt. "Fine," he sighs, which prompts Sora to look up at him with tear-stained eyes. Riku jerks his head in the direction of the door and starts to walk. "Come with me."

* * *

Roxas doesn't need to ask about the duel; the look on Sora's face speaks loudly enough. Sora may have tried to dry his tears during the climb back up to the dungeon, but there's nothing he can hide from his brother. And, if this is the last time they're to see each other, there's no point in holding back now.

"I'm so sorry Roxas, I wasn't good enough," Sora says, his voice shaky.

"Stop apologizing!" Roxas replies. It's hard for him to find strength, but, to give Sora peace, he'll do anything. "This is all my fault. I made the mistake of coming here so I have to live with the consequences."

The brothers are trying to embrace each other through the bars of the cell, which proves difficult. Sora, feeling brave, turns away from Roxas to face Riku who is hovering in the shadows. "Can you open the cell door?" Sora asks. When Riku doesn't move, Sora sighs in annoyance, "I just want to hug my brother goodbye."

Riku steps forward and pulls the lever on the wall next to the cell; the unlocking of the rusty door echoes through the dungeon. "Once this door closes, you are to leave," Riku says to Sora before stepping back into the darkness.

Sora runs forward and embraces Roxas, happy to finally wrap his arms around his brother. Despite his sickness, Roxas stands strong and upright, allowing Sora to sob into his shoulder. "I'm going to be okay, I promise," Roxas tells him; he tries his best to sound convincing. "You're free, Sora. You can go anywhere you want now. See the world and forget about me, okay?"

Sora's head fills with their late night talks and dreams of exploring the world. He remembers how his heart used to soar with the thoughts of leaving Traverse Town behind for a more adventurous life. But they had always planned to do that together. A life knowing he doomed his own brother would be a prison in itself. If he leaves Roxas behind, they'll both become prisoners.

And that's when Sora realizes what he has to do.

"I promise I'll make this right, Roxas," Sora whispers. He begins to turn their embrace slowly, until their positions are switched. Roxas doesn't seem to notice and, knowing their time is almost up, Sora quickly whispers into his brother's ear, "and I promise I'll see you again."

Before Roxas can say anything, Sora musters all his strength to push Roxas away; he tumbles to the floor outside the cell and, as Roxas struggles to stand, Sora reaches forward and slams the cell door shut, trapping himself inside.

"I take his place!" Sora shouts when Riku steps out of the shadows. For once, there's a clear display of surprise and confusion on the man's face, but Sora doesn't budge. "Take me as your prisoner instead. One of us stays, one of us goes free. That's what you want, right?"

"Sora no!" Roxas yells, but Sora ignores him. His eyes are focused instead on Riku, determined yet pleading all at once. Finally, Riku nods in agreement allowing relief and sadness to settle in Sora's heart. "No, please, you can't do this! Spare my brother!"

As Roxas continues to plead, Riku grabs him by the collar of his shirt and drags him away from the cell. "Your debt has been paid," Riku says to Roxas. He extends his free hand out into the air and a portal of dark energy conjures in front of him. He lifts Roxas off his feet and brings their faces close together. "Return to your village," he snarls, before adding, "and never come here again!"

Sora can only watch in devastation as Riku then tosses Roxas into the portal which immediately disintegrates once Roxas passes through it. Just like that, there are only two of them in the dungeon - a prisoner and his captor. "Is he...is he okay?" Sora asks, unable to fully process what he's just seen.

Some part of Sora's mind is put at ease when Riku nods. "I've returned him to your village," he replies. "He's free, thanks to you. But you are not my prisoner." Sora raises an eyebrow in confusion when Riku pulls the lever that unlocks the cell door.

"But I thought-"

"You sacrificed your own freedom for his; this castle is your home now." Sora can't believe his ears; how is this the same man who attacked him earlier and treated Roxas so cruelly? He's so lost in thought, he doesn't follow Riku when the man makes his way for the staircase. It's only when Riku clears his throat impatiently that Sora realizes he's serious. "Unless you want to stay in the tower?"

Sora shakes his head and scurries to catch up to Riku.

* * *

Riku leads Sora through the vast castle; they walk in awkward silence, with Sora's gaze aimed at the ground to avoid making eye contact with the frightening statues positioned against the wall. The paint is chipped, the floor creaks, paintings on the walls are ripped - this castle seems to from Sora's nightmares. The hallway seems to stretch on forever and its old, decrypted nature is a far cry from the beautiful den Sora had met Kairi in earlier.

"You'll be staying in the east wing," Riku says; his voice cuts through the silence with no tact or grace. Sora notices he sounds more like a boy, without the sinister timbre; the deep tone seems to come and go and he wonders if Riku even notices it. "I - uh - I hope you like it here."

Sora has half a mind to snap, but he remembers the cold stone walls of the dungeon and bites his tongue.

"You're free to roam the castle as you please. My servants will tend to you; ask them for whatever you need." They come to the crossroads, the ballroom door to their left, and the grand staircase leading to the first floor to their right. "Visit any room you like...except the west wing."

Sora tries to hold his words, but he can't help himself. "What's in the west-"

"It's forbidden!" The dark gruff is back in Riku's voice and Sora winces back, but Riku sends a hand through his silver hair to compose himself. "I think you'll find the east wing satisfying enough."

They walk up the flight of stairs to the right to a section of the castle Sora doesn't remember seeing when he first arrived. This hall sparkles; the walls are painted a pure white and the portraits hanging are perfectly intact, depicting beautiful beaches and warm cities. This section of the castle feels seductively warm, just like the den had. Where the other side had felt dead and intimidating, this side is full of life, right down the vases of fresh flowers on every table. Sora turns his eyes back down to his feet and notices a long red rug with gold trimming stretching across the hall, stopping only at an impressive pair of golden double doors.

Riku leads him to these doors and, when he opens them, Sora's jaw drops.

Inside is a master bedroom fit for royalty. There's a king-sized canopy bed in the middle of the room, an impressive wardrobe the same color as the golden doors, a private washroom and, in the back corner, two doors that lead to a balcony overlooking the castle grounds.

Sora is speechless as he steps inside. The room feels bigger than the old cottage he shares - _shared_ \- with Roxas. But, at that thought, he remembers, no matter how luxurious, it's still his cell for as long as he stays here, and his expression of wonder drops. He steps further inside and is relieved when Riku keeps still in the doorway.

"Kairi will be in to check on you soon," Riku says. "And you will join me for dinner...that's not a request!" In just one sentence, Riku slides between his two voices, the first half soft and unsure, only for the tail end to be domineering and dark. Riku shuts the door, the slam echoing through the bedroom.

Sora slides down to the floor, his back against the door. He hugs his knees to his chest and, with no one left to be strong for, he finally lets himself cry without restraint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and feedback are much appreciated!
> 
> Next chapter: Sora and Riku continue getting off on the wrong foot, and the dining room proudly presents Sora's dinner.
> 
> P.S. I'd like to incorporate some French inspiration and cultural references into the story, but I only trust google so much. If there are any experts or enthusiasts willing to help me out, please let me know.


	3. Magic Spells

Sora doesn't remember dozing off, but he's stirred from his uneasy sleep by a knock at the door. His senses still dulled, he scoots away from the door, afraid that Riku has changed his mind about showing him any kind of mercy. Another knock echoes through the room and Sora finds the sound soft and gentle, too much so to possibly be Riku. A familiar voice calling out, "it's just me, Kairi," quells Sora's fear and he's delighted to find just Kairi waiting in the hall when he does stand and open the door.

Kairi pushes in a cart carrying a pot of tea, a cup, and a small plate of bite-sized sweets. Sora licks his lips instinctively and his stomach gives off a loud growl. It feels like forever since he'd last eaten before heading out for the woods, like a whole lifetime has passed. "Help yourself," Kairi says, and Sora doesn't need to be told twice. He pops a small cake into his mouth and almost swallows it whole. His eyes widen in bliss when he bites through the cake to find a caramel filling baked into the center.

As soon as he swallows, Sora reaches for another, but yelps when Kairi swats his hand away. "Don't spoil your appetite for dinner!"

Sora's elevated mood drops as quickly as it rose at the memory of Riku's command to join him for dinner. Suddenly, he isn't hungry anymore and, with a sigh, he plops himself on the end of his bed. "I think I'll pass on dinner with Riku," he says under his breath. If Kairi heard him, she doesn't say anything; instead, she focuses on pouring a cup of tea that she hands over to Sora.

"Man is it cold in here," calls a voice from the hallway. Sora turns away from Kairi to see a tall, lanky man with spiky red hair standing in the doorway. The man steps inside the room, shaking his head playfully. "You know Kairi, tea isn't going to keep him from freezing to death."

"I was waiting for you."

"Fair enough."

Sora's eyes dart back and forth between the man and Kairi as they quip, almost like he isn't there. After a moment, the man looks down at Sora and offers him a smirk. "Name's Lea," he says. "Be sure to memorize it; I'm top dog among the help, so if you ever need something, just give me a shout. Which reminds me..."

Lea holds out his palm and Sora's eyes widen when a ball of fire materializes in Lea's hand. Lea flicks his wrist and the fiery orb shoots forward into the fire place in the corner of the room. The logs catch flame and, seconds after, the warm toasty sensation Sora had felt in the den is radiating through the room.

"Whoa!" is all Sora can say with his dropped jaw. Kairi and Lea exchange humored glances. The boy takes a few curious steps towards the fireplace, to see if the flames are real and, when he hovers his hand off the flames, he's sure they aren't some kind of illusion. "How did you do-"

Before Lea can answer, there's a knock on the open door. Sora turns his head to see a young woman with dark brown hair and bright emerald eyes. She's dressed much like Kairi with the exception of a necklace with an orange spherical pendant. "No more wasting time," the woman says sternly, "don't you two have dinner to finish?"

"She's right, Lea!" Kairi replies; she starts to push her cart with one hand, but grabs Lea with the other to drag him out the bedroom. "Olette can take care of Sora." Lea only has time to turn and offer one awkward wave to Sora before Kairi drags him down the hall and out of Sora's sight. Now left alone with this new woman - Olette - Sora looks up at her curiously; he's starting to wonder how he'll be able to keep track of all the servants in the castle.

"It's a miracle that anything gets done around here with those two in charge..." Olette mutters before glancing down at Sora and smiling widely. "I'm so happy you're here. Riku never wants to wear what I pick out for him, but you-" Olette holds out her hands to form a frame around Sora's face, "you're a fresh canvas!" She turns away from a bewildered Sora to throw open the doors of the wardrobe.

Olette rummages through everything hanging inside the wardrobe, letting a pile of rejected items grow at Sora's feet. After a few moments, she yells out "aha!" which catches Sora off guard. "You'll look amazing in this tonight at dinner!" Olette holds a tunic in front of Sora that's old, ripped and dusty. If there was any color in the fabric, it faded long ago and Sora raises an eyebrow at her wondering if this is all some crazy joke.

"I...uh, don't really think that's my style," he says after the silence between them grows too awkward for him to bear.

Olette looks confused, as if he refusal to wear a rusty old tunic is offensive. But then she looks at the tunic herself and, upon realizing it's unwearable, she lets out an embarrassed laugh. "You'll have to forgive me; I always forget the most important part." Suddenly, the pendant on her necklace starts to glow, emitting a light so bright that Sora has to cover his eyes. The illumination lasts for only a few seconds and, when Sora opens his eyes, he's shocked to see the tunic in Olette's hand has transformed. In its place is a white flowing shirt under a royal blue waistcoat with gold trimming.

Sora wants to ask her how the servants are able to do magic, but Olette doesn't give him much chance to talk. She drops the enchanted outfit on the bed next to Sora and starts to make her way to the door. "I'll give you some privacy so you can get ready for dinner."

"Actually," Sora calls out to her, "I don't think I'm going to go to dinner."

Olette stops in her track and turns to face him with her hand over her mouth. "But you must!" she insists. Her tone is nervous and uneasy, and Sora can't help but wonder why she cares whether or not he goes to dinner. He doesn't bother to ask, opting instead of lie down on his new bed.

"I'm not hungry." That's a lie and Sora's stomach growls to give him away, but he doubts he could keep food down if he tried. He's relieved when Olette doesn't push the matter any further, and he's actually comforted when she sits on the edge of the bed and places her gentle hand on his back.

"I know things seem bad right now, but everything will turn out alright in the end." Olette's words may be an empty promise, but they help make Sora feel at ease.

"Ahem!" Lea announces his presence by clearing his throat and Sora sits up to face him, wondering how much the man heard. If he heard anything, he doesn't bother to interject into the conversation. Instead, with a plastered on smile, Lea steps to the side and glides his arms in the direction of the hallway. "Dinner is served," he says in a tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

Sora groans and hides his head under one of his silk pillows.

* * *

Riku grows more impatient with every deep tick of the grandfather clock. His nails dig into the polished mahogany table while the incredible spread of food reaching from both ends of the table grows cold. If looks could kill, Riku's eyes would melt through his blindfold and set Sora's empty chair on the opposite end of the table ablaze. His servants are standing to the side, close enough to assist, but far enough away should Riku's temper explode; he hates how they treat him like a ticking bomb.

Every few moments, Pence, the castle's chef, steps forward to adjust the placement of the food on the table; he centers the silver plate holding the turkey or adds half a spoonful of soup to Riku's untouched bowl. When he steps forward for the fourth time in five minutes to adjust the table, Riku slams his fist down, causing everyone except Kairi to recoil. "Where is he?!" Riku yells out in frustration.

"You have to be patient," Kairi says. "He's lost everything in one night; you can't expect him to just take all that in stride."

"When he does get here, remember to be nice!" Pence pipes up; he steps forward to fiddle with the food again, but backs off when Riku turns to face him. "And proper table manners! Remember to use those."

"Try to ask him questions about himself," says Hayner, the servant who emerges from the kitchen carrying two glasses of wine. "Make him feel special."

"And don't forget to smile!" Kairi adds much to Riku's annoyance.

The three servants take turns offering instruction on his behavior that Riku loses track of them all. Their voices start to ring in his ears and he begins to growl lowly. Any semblance of patience Riku has is lost when Kairi, Hayner, and Pence say, "and you must control your temper!" in unison.

"I don't need any more advice," Riku mutters as he turns in his chair to face the tall glass window that oversees the courtyard outside. Hayner and Pence stay put in their place, but Kairi circles around the chair so she's standing in front of Riku again.

"We're only trying to help, Riku," she says softly. Her voice comes as a surprise to him; it's a tone she hasn't taken with him in a long time. "Don't you think Sora could be the one to break the spell?"

Riku folds his arms over his chest and sinks lower into his chair. "I don't know."

"It's a worth a try," Hayner says with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's not like we have much time left." At these words, the three servants exchange nervous glances; even with his eyes covered, Riku senses the mixed aura of hope and anxiety in the dining room's air.

Tentative footsteps approaching the dining room keep them from pursuing the topic any further. "He's coming!" Pence whispers excitedly.

"Quick, let's see your smile!" Kairi says to Riku. He complies, forcing a wide toothy grin that, in combination with his blindfold and rugged features, somehow looks more menacing than his glare. All three servants wince awkwardly and Kairi leans forward to adjust some stray strands of Riku's hair. "Maybe don't smile, but still be nice!"

The dining room door creaks open and everyone's excitement evaporates when, instead of Sora, Lea pops his head in. Riku tenses in his seat and grips the edge of the table to hold his temper in. "Well. Where is he?" Riku asks Lea through gritted teeth.

"Oh right, about that..." Lea rubs the back of his head awkwardly. He steps into the dining room, but avoids glancing in Riku's direction. "Sora is in the middle of the process of...not coming."

No longer able to hold back his anger, Riku slams both of his fists on the table. The servants can only watch as rage possesses the master. Riku jumps to his feet and tosses several plates at the wall, the shattered porcelain falling to the floor like snow. When this does nothing to quell his temper, Riku bolts out of the dining room and runs up the staircase like a wild animal; Kairi and Lea are at his heels, shouting for Riku to calm himself before reaching Sora's room, but their pleas fall on deaf ears. Once Riku reaches Sora's door, he wastes no time pounding on it so hard that the foundation of the castle seems to shake.

"You were told to meet me for dinner!" The man shouts, his voice rough, deep, and almost not his own.

Riku's blood boils even hotter when he hears Sora yell, "I'm not hungry!" through the door.

An aura of darkness begins to form around one of Riku's fists, a pool of black and pale blue energy much like the kind he'd used during his duel with Sora earlier that evening. He raises this fist and is about to pound on the door again when Kairi shouting his name seems to break through his foggy cloud of anger. The darkness in Riku's hand evaporates into the air as he turns to face her. "Don't let the darkness out!" she says.

"That's never been the way to win someone's affection," Lea speaks up, though his attempt at a joke earns him a glare from Kairi. "Remember what we talked about. Kind and gentle; got it memorized?"

Riku groans; he may be annoyed, but the tone of his voice is normal again, which prompts Kairi to sigh with relief. "It would give me immense pleasure if you were to join me for dinner, Sora," Riku says against the door through gritted teeth.

"Please," Lea coughs into his fist.

Riku turns to Lea quickly and growls, but, after a moment, he sighs and adds a very forced, "please" to his request.

A moment of silence passes that leaves both Kairi and Lea nervous. Their hopes rise as the sound of footsteps can be heard inside Sora's room; the footsteps approach the door and now, even Riku, seems to be pleasantly surprised. The bedroom door slowly opens and Sora pokes his head out, but, instead of emerging fully, Sora drops the outfit Olette had conjured up for him at Riku's feet. "No thank you!" he glares up at the other man, before retreating back behind the door and slamming it shut in Riku's face.

Kairi's heart drops into the pit of her stomach as Riku bends down to pick up the enchanted clothes Sora dropped. She doesn't bother calling out to him in a plea to control his temper as Riku rips the clothes to shreds. "Fine! Go ahead and rot in there!" he yells, his voice dropping back into its menacing side. He turns on his heel to face Kairi and Lea, his black flowing like an extension of his inner darkness. "If he won't eat with me, he doesn't eat. Understood?!" They both aim their gazes down at the floor, but Riku doesn't wait for any verbal confirmation before stomping off.

As soon as he's gone, his slamming of the west wing doors on the other side of the castle echoes through the entire building. The walls shake again, causing several of the beautiful portraits to fall off the wall. The pristine hall of the east wing seems to erode before Kairi and Lea's eyes, the clean white walls grow weathered and dark. The elegant suits of armor that stand against the wall morph into ugly gargoyles that match the haunting hall of the west wing.

"A petal..." Lea mutters. Kairi nods, not needing to be told twice.

Kairi holds out both of her palms; a bright light emanates from them and races across the hallway. Time seems to reverse and, just as quickly as the angelic façade of the east wing had melted away, it restores. The walls return to their shimmering white, the portraits float into the air and rest back on their original spots on the wall. It appears as though nothing has happened, like Kairi has fixed everything. As much as he wants to believe that, Lea knows better.

"How long will that last?" he asks her, though he's sure her answer will be unnerving.

"I don't know," Kairi replies. "The darkness is spreading. Next time, it might be too strong for me to keep at bay."

Lea turns away from her to hide his frown, but, after a moment, he faces her again with a convincing, hopeful smile. "Don't start worrying now, you're the one who keeps the rest of us optimistic." Kairi smiles at his compliment, but can't find it in herself to raise her spirits. "They'll come around; they just need some time." Lea wraps his arm around Kairi's shoulders and starts back down the hall towards the staircase. "You'll see. We're so close, it's almost like I've got my heart back already."

* * *

Several hours pass before Sora is brave enough to poke his head outside his door again.

Relief washes over him when his eyes rest on an empty hallway, instead of Riku or any of the servants waiting for him to emerge. He doesn't plan to be out long; the twisting hunger pains in his stomach are too frequent to ignore now, and Sora just wants to steal a piece of bread from the kitchen. Riku's outburst is still ringing in his ears, but, hungry or not, Sora is too prideful to relent and give in to Riku's tantrum.

He rushes down the staircase, light on his feet so as not to make any noise. It takes him several seconds to find which direction the kitchen is in, but he follows a faint light and the sound of hushed chatter right to it. Once he reaches the kitchen door, Sora stands on the tips of his toes to peak in through the oval window.

Kairi, Lea, and Olette are washing and sorting dishes with two men Sora doesn't recognize. He can't make out exactly what they're saying, but the conversation doesn't seem too serious; Olette even blows soap bubbles onto the faces of the two unnamed men which elicits laughter from all five of them.

Sora pushes the door open and slips inside; he feels a little embarrassed when they all turn to face him, but he remembers how warm they all are compared to Riku and relaxes. "Sorry to interrupt," he says, resting his palms on the back of his head. "I'm just a little hungry..."

They all smile widely and quickly huddle together to whisper amongst themselves. Sora raises an eyebrow and struggles to eavesdrop, but they break away before he can get close enough to listen in. "Come with me and we'll get you seated," Lea says. He wraps his long arm around Sora's shoulder and leads him out of the kitchen and into the dining room.

Sora's never seen a room so large. He runs his hands along the smooth mahogany table while Lea pulls a chair back for Sora to sit in. "I hope you like a little show with your dinner," Lea says as Sora sits. "Not often we have guests in the castle, so we _might_ have gone a little overboard."

As if on cue, the door to the kitchen opens on its own and a dozen porcelain plates soar through the air. They spin around in synchrony before they gently glide onto the table one by one. Sora eyes widen in awe and he almost doesn't notice when one of the servants pops out of the kitchen and approaches him excitedly. He's shorter with a tall head of dark hair and a large smile. "I'm Pence, your chef tonight and well, every night," the man says to Sora.

"Show him the specials, Pence!" calls the other servant Sora hasn't met yet.

"Oh yeah, thanks Hayner." Pence clears his throat and gestures to the empty plates on the table. "Tonight I've got: Beef ragout, cheese soufflé, Pie and pudding on flambé..." Every time Pence names a dish, it materializes on one of the plates in front of Sora's eyes. Each dish is piping hot and the aromas mix together and fill Sora's nose. He can hardly resist grabbing his fork and reaching for the nearest plate.

"Ah, ah, not so fast," Lea swipes the fork out of Sora's hand. "A great dinner needs great lighting!"

Suddenly, the dining room is illuminated by a descending crystal chandelier; each crystal is a warm color, blending altogether to recreate the view of a sunset. The colors bounce off the walls and Sora turns his head back and forth to follow every ray. "So what would you like with your dinner?" Lea asks as he slides Sora a plate with generous servings of every dish on the table. "I tell jokes, I do tricks, you name it."

Sora chuckles as he digs into his food. The cheese soufflé melts in his mouth and the pudding is rich and sweet. He's so eager to stuff his face, Sora forgets his manners and it's not long before flakes of bread and drops of pudding are smeared on his face. Reluctantly, Sora puts down his fork and raises his arm to wipe his face on his sleeve.

The sensation of something soft fluttering on his spiky hair causes Sora to draw his attention away from his messy face. He looks up to see several napkins folded into the shape of a bird flying in formation several inches over his head. One of the napkins falls out of formation and glides gently into his lap, and Sora starts digging his fingers into the napkins folds trying to find the sign of anything inside.

"Man does this take me back to the good old days," Lea says. Sora watches curiously as all the servants seem to nod in lamentation. "I remember when we threw parties every day and the sun never finished setting." Lea seems to be narrating a story and Sora forgets his food for a moment as the gothic attire of the servants melts away into elegant suites and bright white gowns.

The dining room transforms next, taking on a younger and better kept appearance. Suddenly, shadowy figures materialize, filling the seats at the table all around Sora. The boy jumps to his feet in surprise and approaches a few of the seated men wearing tall white wigs with powdered faces. Sora runs his hand through the men and they, along with all the other party guests, evaporate into smoke.

"Life used to be nice around here," Lea says, before adding an uneasy, "until the winter came..."

Sora notices the foggy image of a young woman standing in the dining room's doorway. It's almost as if her facial features are blurred in his eyes, but he's able to make out her shoulder length blonde hair and her simple white dress that only reaches to her knees. "Who is she?" When he receives no answer, Sora looks around to find the servants have vanished, leaving him alone with the strange woman.

Sora raises his eyebrows when the mysterious woman outstretches her hand; in her grip is a single red rose. But, as Sora starts to approach her, a burst of cold wind pushes him back and the woman, along with the elegant illusion of the dining room, melts away, returning it to the state that Sora knows it to truly be in.

"Now most days we just lie around the castle..." Lea speaks again; suddenly he and all the servants are back in the dining room with Sora.

Where had they gone? Or had Sora been the one to disappear? Either way, it seems like nothing happened to the servants.

"We were getting flabby, fat and lazy, then you walked in!" Lea finishes, perking up the mood with a humorous smirk.

The dinner resumes its magical mood, allowing Sora to forget about the strange vision of the blonde woman in white. Kairi brings him a cup the size of a goblet, filled to the brim with rich hot chocolate. Olette enchants the tablecloth to change colors every few seconds. At some point, Hayner retrieved a violin and piano that are able to play themselves, filling the room with cheerful music.

The atmosphere is cozy and, for the first time, Sora feels comfortable in the castle.

Once Sora is too full to take another bite, he frowns upon noticing the table is still full of half eaten and barely touched dishes. He feels guilty, as though he's overworked the servants only to waste their delicious food. Pence seems to notice this and chuckles happily. "Don't you worry," the chef says to Sora, "nothing goes to waste around here." Pence claps his hands and all the plates rise into the air; they spin several times before they all fuse together, leaving just one empty plate floating above the table. The plate falls to the table ungracefully, but, it's as if the grand feast had never happened in the first place.

For a few seconds, Sora is speechless. He offers the servants a round of enthusiastic applause, calling out "bravo!" and "that was amazing!"

Lea gives Sora an exaggerated bow while Hayner and Pence pat each other on the back and Kairi and Olette smile warmly at each and then at Sora.

* * *

Though the night may be late, Sora is hardly ready for sleep after the spectacle of his dinner. However, he can only imagine the early day the servants have tomorrow, so he elects to retire back to his room so they can get some rest. Kairi is kind enough to insist she walk him to his room. Feeling safe, Sora can't resist asking her the one question on his mind as they approach the crossroads of the staircase.

"I just don't understand," Sora says to her while scratching his head. "You're all so kind; why do you guys stay here with Riku?"

Kairi sighs and bites her bottom lip; she seems to be choosing her words carefully. "Riku is...not as bad as he seems. Under that temper and brooding is a real prince...of a man." Sora narrows his eyes at Kairi curiously, but decides not to argue with her assessment of Riku.

"Riku says the west wing is forbidden," Sora remarks, jerking his head to the left staircase. "What's in there that he doesn't want me to see?"

"Don't you worry about the west wing!" Kairi interjects. Her tone takes on its curt, lecturing nature that may intimidate Sora, but it doesn't quell his curiosity. Realizing she may have reacted too desperately, Kairi clears her throat and tucks a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "It's just Riku's personal space; you wouldn't find anything interesting in there."

Sora isn't convinced, but he doesn't want to worry Kairi further. So he smiles and says, "okay, you're right." That seems to satisfy Kairi. Sora feigns a yawn and stretches his arms high over his head to sell his lie. "I'm exhausted, so I'll see you tomorrow." Kairi nods and starts back down the stairs and Sora takes a few steps up towards the east wing until she's out of sight.

Sora's heart starts to beat rapidly as he considers breaking one of the only rules he's been ordered to follow. He turns over his shoulder and glances at the stairs leading up to the mysterious west wing. What could be so scary up there that they don't want him to see? His mind starts to race with the possibilities and, suddenly, it's settled. It's not as if Riku has given him any reason to trust him.

He walks as quietly as he can, stepping only on his tip toes to avoid making the staircase creak. Then he starts up the western staircase slowly; the hall of the west wing is pitch black, unlike the bright, warm hall of the east wing. It's almost as if Sora is vanishing into the darkness completely. Sora gulps, swallowing the lump in his throat, but he refuses to entertain any fearful thoughts.

There's no harm in just one _small_ peak into the west wing; what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay on this one; Halloween and university teamed up to keep me busy.
> 
> I know this chapter might have felt like filler, but I promise there's some important info hidden inside. I hope you picked up on it!
> 
> Next chapter: Sora finds himself in some trouble, and a little light is finally shed on the mystery surrounding Riku. 
> 
> As always, comments and feedback are much appreciated!


	4. A Prince in Disguise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, and I come bearing excuses!
> 
> I'm sorry for the wait; my first draft for this chapter disappeared around Christmas because I'm too edgy to save regularly, and the loss discouraged me from writing. Since Christmas, I've powered through very slowly, but surely.
> 
> I seriously can't thank you all enough for your patience and the comments I received during the unplanned hiatus. Knowing people out there read and cared enough to show their support inspired me to keep writing, so this is my thank you gift to you.

Each step on the aged staircase sends shivers up Sora's spine. The wood is hollow, decayed, and stained; Sora tries to imagine what each drop-like stain may be, but he shakes his head the second his mind entertains anything _too_ gruesome.

The stairs bring him to an unfamiliar foyer. It feels as though he's been transported to another castle entirely. Gone is the welcoming embrace of white and gold halls; there are no paintings of beautiful gardens or soft beaches hanging on the walls, and it seems as though the light of the candles grows dimmer with every step Sora takes.

He's no longer in the realm of the east wing.

Sora wonders how the castle exists in such duality; how is the east wing fit for a king while the west wing lies ransacked by neglect? He remembers Kairi's words, how this side of the castle is reserved only for Riku's eyes. Very little has made sense to Sora up to this point, but he still tries to fathom why Riku would allow his home to decay. Suddenly, Sora feels a bit more confident; if he's to be trapped in this castle forever, he wants to know what Riku is hiding. He'll learn the truth even if it-

"Ah!" He shouts after coming face to face with a demonic gargoyle statue. Quickly he realizes it's only stone and he chuckles nervously, as if he's made a fool of himself in front of someone. Sora stands still for a second, worried the echo of his high-pitched scream may have alerted Lea, or Kairi, but when no one comes running, he releases the tension in his shoulders. "Stupid statue," he mumbles, stepping around the gargoyle to venture further down the west wing's hallway.

Though his guard might be raised now, the west wing only grows more ominous from there.

Sora can barely take a step without walking on top of crushed stone. The floor is littered with shattered gargoyles, all their monstrous faces still intact and staring up at him; through their hungry eyes and gnarling teeth, they all seem to be telling Sora the same thing - _turn back_. But Sora turns away and steps around them, as if they're mere puddles of rain on the road. His eyes glance up at the wall, hoping to find some comfort in any portraits left hanging, but paintings of a stormy sea and a decaying island leave him queasy.

For the entire stretch of the hallway, the wall is only decorated by a single, oval-shaped vanity mirror. The glass is shattered, the cracks twisting and weaving to mimic the shape of a spiderweb. At closer inspection, Sora notices the stain of dried red at the mirror's center. He sees his own reflection several times over and he can't help but notice the way his curiously raised eyebrow falls as his lips curl to form an empathetic frown. "Riku..."

Sora steps away from the mirror and turns his face back towards the hallway; though the light is dim, he can see a pair of tall double doors standing guard at the end of the hall. Sora's heart might be pounding, but the doors call to him like a sweet whisper or the wave of a hand. The door stands out among all he's seen so far in the west wing; it's glowing white, pristine and untouched; Sora wonders how the door has escaped the decay of the rest of the wing.

He approaches the door, as if caught in a trance, but his eyes narrow at the strange shape of the door handle. It's a gold, heart shaped emblem, with thick, zig-zagging lines creating an x-shape within the lines of the heart. Sora's never seen anything like it, and he can't help but wonder what it means.

But, even in all his curiosity, he can't resist the magnetic pull of the door; something lies inside and Sora has to see it.

Throwing caution to the wind, Sora grabs the right handle and pulls it open. It takes a great deal of strength and, after pulling with all his might, Sora has only opened the door wide enough for someone to slip inside. It's a tight squeeze, but he sucks in his gut and passes through. Now inside, Sora quickly notices he's stumbled upon a master bedroom similar to his own; well, perhaps it had been similar once before.

Like the rest of the west wing, the bedroom is in tatters, as if a pack of wolves had been released inside. There's a sleek, black wardrobe that makes his look tiny, but its drawers have been ripped out and thrown across the room, its mirror is shattered just like the one in the hallway. Sora passes by a large canopy bed that seems to have collapsed upon itself, but he's able to grab onto one of the bedposts to catch himself after stumbling over a broken chair on the ground.

Again, Sora wonders why Riku would live here; he's about to ask himself who could have done this to such a beautiful castle, but something catches his eye and demands his full attention. Hanging on the wall is large portrait within a golden but broken frame.

Sora approaches the portrait, his eyes studying it carefully. The subject is a man, a handsome man with pale skin, broad shoulders and shoulder-length silver hair. Sora recognizes Riku in the portrait, but it's strange to realize how he'd never noticed Riku's attractiveness until now. But Sora's eyes narrow when he notices a portion of the portrait has been torn, as if slashed by an animal with powerful claws.

The rip is clean across Riku's eyes, but the painting has not been torn completely, for the piece is still dangling, holding on by a thread. Sora takes the piece and lifts it back up to its rightful spot.

For the first time, he sees Riku's eyes. They're hypnotizing, as if each one holds a beautiful ocean. Blue and green mix together in perfect harmony and Sora is certain he could stand here and stare forever. And now, he can only wonder why Riku hides his eyes behind his blindfold...

"Sad, isn't it?"

The soft voice makes Sora jump and he quickly turns on his heel; he expects to see an enraged Riku, but instead he's face to face with a beautiful young woman. She's strange, but familiar to him all at once; her eyes are a bright blue, her short, blonde hair rests over her shoulder, and she's dressed in a simple white gown. Sora swears he's seen her before, but he can't think of where.

"Who are you?" he asks her, his voice a bit too loud for his stealthy mission. The woman brings her index finger to her lips and gently shushes him. Sora then remembers where he is and nods.

"This castle is falling deeper into darkness," she says, ignoring Sora's question. "What you see is all that's left. Like the prince, it may be lost forever." Sora takes in her words, but only finds himself with more questions than answers. But then, the delay of her revelation sets in and Sora's eyes widen in shock.

"Riku's a prince?!" The woman giggles softly, but it's forced, and laced with melancholy. Sora waits for some kind of confirmation from her, but he receives none. Instead, she turns and steps towards the balcony doors. Sora's eyes follow her in confusion.

"Come," she says, beckoning with her hand, "let me show you something."

Sora knows he should be wary, but he trusts her. He walks behind her and, a faint, pinkish glow begins to illuminate the room. Resting on a table, under a vase by the balcony door is a single rose. Sora steps around the woman to get a closer look. Somehow, the rose is floating under the glass cover; its petals are a soft, enchanting pink. The rose is still in bloom, despite the bed of dried, wilted petals under the vibrant green stem.

The rose is calling to him, like a piece of forbidden fruit, and Sora realizes this is the pull he felt out in the hallway. Gently, his hands grasp the glass case and slowly lift it up. The rose is exposed to the fresh air, but still floats in place. He places the glass case beside the rose and, against all his better judgement, Sora's hand moves towards the rose.

It looks like something out of a dream. Is it even real? He just wants to touch it...

A large, rough hand grabs hold of his wrist before the tip of his finger touches one of the rose petals. The grip tightens and Sora winces in pain; he looks up to see Riku standing in front of him and his heart drops into the pit of his stomach. Even behind the blindfold, Sora can feel Riku's glare, the rage raining like a storm inside of him. On instinctual fear, Sora takes a step back.

"I told you never to come in here!" Riku shouts. Sora can only stutter in reply, and this seems to anger Riku further. "Who told you about the rose?" The question hangs in the air between them for a moment, but Riku quickly loses his patience and charges forward. He towers over Sora, who winces ready for an attack, but Riku only shouts louder. "Who told you!"

"It was her!" Sora screams back. His eyes dart around the room, searching every space in his vision not dominated by Riku for the girl in white. But Sora can't find her, it's as if she's vanished - never even existed to begin with. Riku turns away to place the glass cover back over the rose, and, for a moment, it seems the air begins to calm.

Until Sora speaks again.

"I didn't mean any harm, she said you were a prince and I-"

"Get out." Riku's voice sounds more like the growl of an animal. When Sora opens his mouth to speak, Riku suddenly begins to thrash. That darkness Sora had seen in their duel begins to swell around Riku's body again. It's consuming him like a poisonous aura.

"Riku I'm sorry," Sora reaches forward, slowly, full of hesitance. But just when the palm of his hand finds Riku's shoulder, the prince starts to convulse, the black aura around him growing more potent and uncontrollable. The shock sends Sora stumbling back and he loses his balance over a piece of debris.

Riku is grasping at his head, groaning in pain, and pulling at his hair. He carries on in agony for a few moments, before his face points down at Sora. He raises his arm, and Sora fears he's about to be struck, but at the last second, Riku swings at the bed beside Sora, shattering the wood with the force of his bare hand.

"Riku stop!" Sora shouts.

"I...can't," Riku groans. His voice sounds sickened, as if something is rising up inside of him. He covers his face with his hands again, before grumbling. "I said...Get! Out!" As he shouts, his voice transforms. It drops an octave and sounds guttural, as if some demonic creature is speaking from inside Riku.

When the prince swings at the bed again, Sora scrambles to his feet and runs for the door. Despite the screams coming from Riku, he doesn't look back; he slips through the door and rushes down the stairs of the west wing, even hopping over as many as he can to put as much distance between him and Riku as possible.

Even as he returns back to the elegant façade of the main foyer, Sora doesn't stop running. He descends the grand staircase and makes a beeline for the main castle doors. In that moment, Sora only cares about escaping. He doesn't care about his promise, about the freezing night air waiting outside, or the servants, or the magic of the castle. The only thing on Sora's mind is that he cannot stay here another second.

Just as he passes the door to the parlor, Kairi and Lea poke their heads out to watch Sora dash by.

"Sora!" Kairi shouts; she reaches her hand out to grab his arm as he passes, but he's moving too quickly. "Where are you -"

"I have to go!" Sora shouts, not turning back to face her out of fear that Riku may be right behind him. "He's a monster! I can't stay here with him!"

Upon reaching the front door, Sora begins to pry it open with all the strength he can muster. As soon as it opens a crack, snow and harsh winter winds begin to blow into the castle. Sora winces, but continues to pull the door open anyway; he can survive the cold, but he can't last with Riku.

"You don't understand!" Lea says. He runs forward to try and stop Sora, but just before he reaches the boy, Sora has opened the door wide enough to slip through. And, just like that, he's gone into the freezing forest, leaving Lea and Kairi to stare at the ajar door.

"Was that Sora...?" Olette's hesitant voice breaks the silence as she, Hayner, and Pence step out from the kitchen.

"Yeah. He's gone," Lea says. Both Hayner and Pence shake their hands while Olette covers her mouth in shock.

"I really thought he might be the one," Olette says. She glances over at Hayner sadly, though he waves his hand in dismissal.

"Turns out he was just a waste of time."

"He doesn't know..." Kairi's soft words draw all their attention back to her. She's staring out the window next to the door, watching Sora run across the bridge of the castle and into the thick cover of dead trees. "He doesn't know what's out there..."

* * *

Sora's running so fast, he's stumbling over his feet. He's only been outside for seconds and, already, goosebumps are running down his arms and his cheeks are growing red. He hadn't stopped to grab a robe or anything, but he didn't dare look over his shoulder at the castle. His heart is still beating like it may burst from his chest, but he doesn't slow down, not even to catch his breath.

He treads through the snow and trees, back in the direction he'd first come to the castle in. As he puts distance between himself and the castle, his mind starts to clear; maybe now he can find his way home. He thinks of Roxas, the chance to see his brother again. He remembers Roxas's pleas and his terror; had he seen Riku's true nature as well?

Suddenly, Sora's thoughts are interrupted as he comes face to face with a strange black creature. It reminds him of the wolves he'd encountered, yet somehow, this thing is far more sinister. It moves towards him in a strange twitching fashion; it's small with sharp black claws and twisting antennas. However, its most defining - and terrifying - feature are its void yellow eyes.

Without warning, the creature swipes as Sora. He winces back and shouts when the creature's claws cut his leg, just above his ankle. A few drops of blood drip onto the snow and, working through the stinging pain, Sora sidesteps the creature and takes off running again.

He doesn't make it far, however, as more kinds of the creature are waiting in front of him. There's a mob of them and it's almost as if they're rising from the ground, forming into existence completely out of nothing. "What are these things?!"

They all pounce at once, jumping at Sora like he's fresh meat on a stick. Despite his fear, Sora charges forward, trying to tackle through the creatures in an effort to escape. Claws swipe at his legs, creating numerous rips through his pants into his skin. Sora carries on running anyway, trying his best to power through the pain.

It's only when one of the creatures pounces onto his back and swipes at his shoulders that Sora tumbles to the ground. He screams in pain at the sensation of snow soaking into his fresh wounds. He notices the creatures closing in on him slowly and, with the last of his strength, Sora scurries backward until his back rests up against a tree. He's freezing, bleeding, and weak; he has nowhere to go.

The creatures prepare to pounce again, this time for a killing blow. Sora winces, shuts his eyes, and waits. He thinks of Roxas, and silently begs his brother not to search the woods for him. He thinks of Kairi and the others, trapped in the castle, forced to serve a monster like Riku.

And Riku. Sora thinks of the prince, but not of his dark aura, and booming roar. Behind his closed eyes, Sora only sees the torn portrait of the handsome face, and the eyes as deep as the ocean.

If he weren't so panicked, he'd find it strange how his last thoughts dwell on Riku.

He hears the swarm of dark creatures jump, and Sora's ready to feel them tear him to shreds. But the stinging blow never comes.

Instead, Sora hears a roar that shakes the world around him. He opens his eyes and is shocked by what he sees.

There's a man, tall and broad, standing between Sora and the creatures. The creatures have turned their attention onto the man, and they take turns pouncing on him. But the man is strong and, with force, he grabs at them and chucks them at nearby trees. Sora watches the creatures evaporate into nothingness upon colliding with the trees. He sits up to watch the fight closely, but, in the darkness, he's barely able to see the man.

What he can see is the man's brown skin and dark silver hair that extends halfway down his back. He fights like an animal, lacking any restraint, roaring like a beast. Sora notices the creatures are gradually clawing away at him too; the man is wearing a robe that seems several sizes too small and it's already in tatters.

Whoever his savior is, Sora knows he can't fight alone. Mustering up his strength, Sora stands and joins the man. They stand back to back, so Sora doesn't notice the odd look the man glances in his direction.

They fight in silence. It's as if they don't need to speak, but are connected. They duck at the right times, and intercept any creatures that jump at the other. Sora's strikes and throws are not as strong as the man's, but he holds his own.

The number of creatures quickly starts to fade; with his newfound ally by his side, the monsters seem far less terrifying than before.

Sora is preoccupied with finishing the last creature in front of him. He stomps on it several times until it evaporates like all the others had. With a wide smile, he turns to thank the man who saved him, but his grin falls when he notices the man has been brought to the ground by the last remaining swarm of creatures.

Sora runs to him and throws them all off of the man, not even caring to watch their bodies melt away into the ground.

The man is barely moving, but Sora sighs in relief when he notices the shaky rise and fall of the man's chest. He drops to his knees at the man's side and grabs his arm in an effort to raise him up. The man's size and weight are nearly double Sora's though and, in his weakened state, the boy cannot support them both.

"Hey," he whispers softly to the man. "I need you to help me."

The stranger opens his eyes and Sora is shocked by the deep amber color of his eyes. They radiate a familiar darkness, like the creatures or Riku in the west wing. But Sora doesn't feel fear; instead, he feels grateful. Confused by the stranger, but grateful all the same.

The man struggles to stand, but his efforts are enough help that Sora get them both onto their feet. Sora places one hand on the small of the man's back and starts to tread forward. "Who are you anyway?" Sora asks. "And why did you help me?"

The man groans, but his voice doesn't fit his dark face. In fact, the sound of his groaning sounds...familiar. After taking a few breaths, the man looks down at him and says, "Sora." He recognizes the voice immediately. It doesn't make sense - it can't even be possible, but Sora knows it's true.

"Riku..." He nods and then shuts his eyes, hiding them from Sora.

Sora isn't sure what to think. He remembers the terror he felt in the west wing, Riku's power in their duel, and the cruel way he treated Roxas. Yet, he'd come to save him. He'd bled for him, risked his life for him; nothing about this made sense, but Sora clings on to one truth: he won't leave Riku to bleed out in the cold.

"Come on," he says, as he turns them around to walk back in the direction he'd fled from. "Let's get you back to the castle."

From his heavy breathing, Sora can tell Riku is about to slip into unconsciousness, but he doesn't mind. Somehow, he's found the strength to keep going on his own. But, before Riku slips away, he hears the prince whisper a soft, "thank you," and, despite the pain, the adrenaline, and confusion, Sora smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's shorter than previous chapters, but I originally included the first portion of chapter 5, and it felt too clunky. It felt weird to continue the chapter after the end of that scene.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed regardless! Please let me know what you think.
> 
> I promise next chapter will tone down the angst, because now there's something there that wasn't there before. <3


	5. New Discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always me with the delays. The real world is scary and time-consuming.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for all your comments, and your patience. It's your support that keeps me writing.
> 
> In this chapter, we have the aftermath of the battle out in the woods. Also a bit more about the curse, because I'm a tease who insists on only giving away a little at a time. Hope you all enjoy!

A crack of steam draws Riku away from the realm of unconsciousness. His cheeks are heated by the glow of the fireplace, and the weight on his arm tells him he's been placed awkwardly on his side. Slowly - _hesitantly_ \- his eyes open and he takes in the atmosphere of the den, of home. Questions circle around his mind as he finds his memory foggy. Why is he here? What happened?

His recollection comes like a rising tide, a bit more with every moment of thought. He remembers the snow, the woods... _Sora_.

Riku turns over his shoulder and immediately lets out a low groan of pain. His back, his chest, his sides - they all burn, as if his skin's been clawed off.

He remembers more now; the sensation of claws and teeth digging into his skin is fresh, almost as if it's still happening. Riku makes an effort to stand, but he's barely sitting up straight before the pain overwhelms him and forces him back onto his side.

"You have to lie still!" A voice comes from the doorway. Riku recognizes it; for a second, he thinks it's Kairi, but no...it's too deep. "Kairi's getting bandages, but you'll have to deal with me for now." The voice comes closer and its owner drops to his knees beside him. Riku glances up and meets Sora's gaze.

It's the first time they've been this close; Riku can see the specs of deeper blue in Sora's eyes, the faint freckles along the bridge of his nose, the few flurries of snow still shining in his hair. He's mesmerized for a moment, staring like an awestruck idiot. It's only after a few beats of silence that Riku shakes himself out of his daze and directs his stare towards the fireplace.

Sora's brought a cloth and a bucket of water with him. He dips the cloth in the water and rings it out before placing it along Riku's shoulder as gently as he can. The sensation of the warm cloth on his bare back alerts Riku that he's lost his robe and he winces at Sora's attempt to scrub the wound. Unconsciously, Riku jerks away, but Sora is stubborn and brings the cloth back onto the prince's shoulder.

They continue this back and forth for a moment before Sora sighs in annoyance. "Stay still." He presses the cloth against Riku's shoulder for a fifth time, but this time he accidentally presses a little too hard, causing Riku to roar out in pain.

"It hurts!" Riku shouts. And that opens the floodgates.

"Well if you would just stay still, it wouldn't hurt!"

"If you hadn't run off, I wouldn't be hurt!"

"I ran off because you scared me!"

"I was trying to protect you!"

Riku doesn't realize what he's said until after it's hanging in the air between them. It seems to catch Sora off guard too, as he stops trying to clean Riku's cut. Neither of them say anything for a few moments as they both ponder where to go from there. After a bit, Riku feels the return of the cloth on his back, but Sora's strokes are much gentler and Riku finds himself able to keep still and let Sora finish cleaning the blood and dirt out of his wound.

The silence is a little unbearable, but they continue on like that. Sora moves on to another gash on Riku's body and, after a while, he finds the sensation soothing. Riku feels a little relief, that maybe they'll just glide past the slip of his tongue. But of course, he has no such luck as Sora sighs and finally breaks the silence.

"Protect me from what?" he asks. It's a question dripping with hesitation and curiosity, a combination Riku is realizing is commonplace for Sora.

"Forget I said anything," Riku mumbles. Of course Sora is too stubborn to accept that as an answer.

"Just tell me," Sora says. "I can handle whatever it is." Sora may be sure of his words, but Riku doubts it. If Sora is the one who can break this curse - as Lea adamantly believes - the last thing Riku wants is to send him running off _again_. "Did you not want me to see you shape shifting?" Riku feels his heart drop into the pit of his stomach and his throat dries. "Because it's strange...but I'm not scared."

Those words should be comforting to Riku, but he's too deep in distress to take them in. He looks around the room and finally realizes he can physically _see_ \- not just with his mind, but with his eyes. Everything comes crashing down as Riku realizes one terrifying truth: his blindfold is off.

"Lea!" he shouts - no, roars. The thunder of his voice causes Sora to jump in shock, but Riku has only one focus right now.

The doors of the den burst open as Lea tumbles inside, as if he'd been waiting just outside this entire time. A fleeting sense of relief washes over Riku as he notices Lea holding the familiar black cloth in his hand; he's a good enough butler when it counts.

"I got it, I got it," Lea says; he's barely loosened his grip on the black cloth before Riku snatches it out of his hands.

Riku ties the blindfold over his eyes, moving fast enough that his actions are a blur to Sora and Lea. The prince's vision goes dark and, once he tightens the knot against the back of his head, he begins to change. An aura of darkness surrounds him, which causes Sora to recoil in surprise. But through the shadowy veil, Riku feels the darkness sinking deeper inside of him. His anger, frustration, fear, it's all shackled deep inside his heart and, to illustrate this change, his monstrous outer appearance fades.

The color of his hair lightens and its length retreats to its original cut just below his shoulders. His dark skin lightens to a pale, youthful glow, and he shrinks in size, transforming from tall, broad and imposing back to his handsome, boyish physique. After a moment, the dark aura surrounding Riku fades leaving him the way he was.

Silence falls over the den for a few moments, with only the occasional snapping of wood in the fireplace. But Sora can't stand it, nor can he ignore what he just saw, so of course he's the one to break the silence by asking, "what was that?"

"Oh that? Just the curse," Lea answers, shrugging his shoulders. "We've all got it, but Riku's got it the worst."

Every answer Sora gets in this castle, just leaves him with more questions. "Curse?"

"Lea!" Kairi's sharp voice cuts in from the doorway. She enters the den carrying a tray holding a pot of tea and several cups, and there's no dodging the stern look on her face. She places the tray down on the table so she can poke Lea a few times in the chest. "I told you to leave Sora out of it!"

"He's got a right to know," Lea argues; he takes a few steps back from Kairi, but she isn't intent on letting him go. "And besides, how is he going to fix things if he doesn't know?" Sora raises his eyebrows at that. He doesn't know a thing about the...curse. How is he supposed to help?

It seems Kairi senses his confusion as she turns away from Lea to face Sora, and her angry expression goes soft. "Don't you listen to Lea," she says to Sora. "He's always talking nonsense. Now let's get you some tea..."

"Kairi." All three of them are surprised to hear Riku speak; despite the transformation Sora had just witnessed, he almost forget Riku was here with them. "It's okay; tell him."

For the time since he's known her, Sora sees Kairi visibly thrown off; she hadn't been expecting that. Lea goes smug, crossing his arms over his chest like he's physically fighting the urge to brag. But Kairi doesn't grow angry or fight like Sora expects her to. Instead, she sighs and takes a seat on the chair in front of them.

"It was a dark, snowy night-"

"Kind of like this one!" Lea interjects, and he mumbles a "sorry" when Kairi glares at him.

"Anyway, it was a dark and snowy night, when, suddenly, an old woman came to our door. She needed a place to stay for the night, so she offered Riku - the prince a rose in exchange for shelter," as Kairi speaks, Sora can't help but steal glances at Riku. It's as if he's shrunken, winced away in shame. "The prince wasn't impressed by the gift, so he laughed and turned the old woman away. But then, everything changed."

"She was a witch!" Lea interrupts again. He waves his arms frantically in front of Sora, as if telling some fantastical story. "And boy was she mad; put a spell on Riku, the castle, all of us. Mumbled on about darkness and some other things. And we've all been stuck like this ever since."

Kairi is glaring at Lea again, obviously displeased with his retelling. "What Lea means is, the enchantress connected the castle to the darkness in Riku's heart. If he isn't careful, the darkness can overtake him. And that blindfold is the only thing that holds the darkness at bay."

Sora turns to glance at Riku, who hasn't moved or spoken this entire time. He stares at the cloth around Riku's eyes, turning his head quizzically trying to find what makes the blindfold so special. It looks just like an ordinary piece of cloth, so of course he has to ask. "Why?"

"Because his eyes can't lie." Kairi's answer is cryptic, yet Sora is able to understand it somehow. He remembers the portrait in the west wing, the slashed out eyes...

"It's not all bad," Lea says. "The curse left us with a few perks, like," Lea holds his hand and, like Sora had seen before, a flame materializes in his palm before vanishing with a snap of Lea's fingers. "But we're all still on borrowed time."

"What does that mean?" Sora asks.

"Nothing!" Kairi cuts in. "That's enough for now!" Sora hunches his shoulders like a disappointed child, and Lea does the same, but Kairi doesn't budge. "It's late, and we all need some sleep. Lea, help me get Riku up to his room."

Lea drags his feet, moaning and groaning his way over to Riku. As the two servants kneel down and each take one of Riku's arms in their hands, Sora has an idea.

"Can you take him up to the east wing? To my room?" The question surprises everyone, even Sora. He's not sure what came over him, but he remembers the shattered state of the west wing, the destroyed bed, the numerous reminders of who Riku used to be before this curse. No one deserves to be cooped up in there.

Sora's eyes move from Kairi, to Lea - who's expression has lit up brighter than the glowing fire - to Riku. Even with the blindfold covering Riku's eyes, Sora can see the shock. There's a moment of silence between the four of them before Riku speaks. "It's fine, Sora; I need to be in the west wing."

Maybe it's just his stubbornness, or some unconscious desire to pay Riku back for saving him out in the forrest, but Sora shakes his head. "No! You're hurt and you need somewhere comfortable to sleep; besides, the bed can fit us both."

"Great idea, Sora!" Lea says. "Genius, really." Kairi doesn't seem to share Lea's enthusiasm, but, eventually, she nods. Lea's mood has completely transformed; he even scoots to the side and takes Riku's arm out of Kairi's hands. "Don't worry; I can carry him up there by myself. Just leave it to me!" Not wanting to leave any more room for debate from Riku or Kairi, Lea begins to make his way out of the den, to the grand staircase, then eventually, the east wing, leaving Sora and Kairi alone.

"You know," Kairi says, once Lea and Riku are out of earshot. "You really didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," Sora replies, bending down to pick up the washcloth he'd used to clean Riku's wounds. "He did save me after all, so I owe him something." At that, Kairi smiles and takes Sora's hand.

They begin their walk up to Sora's room, but move slow and in silence, as they both seem to contemplate what to say to each other. There's a million things Sora could ask her, and he wants to ask her all of them. But only one thing is on the front of his mind, something he hasn't been able to shake out of his head since Lea first said it. For the third time tonight, it's Sora who breaks the silence by asking, "how do I fix it?"

Kairi doesn't seem to understand the context of his question; she raises an eyebrow and asks, "fix what?"

"The curse," Sora clarifies, as they start their ascent up to the grand staircase. "Lea said I can fix everything. How? I want to help you guys."

"Don't you worry about that," Kairi snaps. Her tone has taken its signature sternness, but Sora can tell she isn't angry with him; however, it's clear there's something she doesn't want him to know. Had she left something out of the story earlier? "It isn't your responsibility to save us."

They're walking down the hall of the east wing and Sora finds himself comforted by its warm, pristine condition. They stop just in front of his bedroom door, which Lea has left slightly ajar. There's a warm fire burning in the fireplace and Sora notices a pair of soft red pajamas have been set for him on the dresser; he makes a mental note to thank Olette in the morning.

His bedroom looks, and feels, so inviting that Sora just wants to slip in, but he stops when he notices the lump in his bed. His eyes set on Riku, lying on his back, the bedsheets rising and falling on his chest with every breath. He doesn't feel any regret offering to share his bed with Riku, but he feels a little nervous to go inside now.

"If you want to help," Kairi whispers softly, grabbing Sora's attention. "Maybe just try being Riku's friend."

Friend...yeah, he can do that. It might not be easy - Riku isn't the warmest person - but he can only imagine how long he's spent cursed inside this castle. Maybe having a friend would lighten him up. With some newfound confidence, Sora turns and offers Kairi a smile. "You can count on me."

She giggles softly as Sora slips through the crack in his door. The two offer each other one last pair of smiles, wish each other "good night" in unison, then Sora pushes the bedroom door closed as softly as he can.

* * *

Now Sora's alone with a sleeping Riku. The fire is warm, but its light has dimmed, leaving Sora to squint in the dark as he tiptoes to the dresser to grab his pair of pajamas. They're the softest thing he's ever felt and he wastes no time shimmying out of his damp, tattered, and freezing tunic.

Once he's dressed for the night, Sora approaches the bed in the same tiptoe fashion. He contemplates how to pull the blankets up and slide his weight onto the bed without disturbing Riku, but the dilemma is solved when he hears Riku sigh. "Coming to bed dear?"

Sora rolls his eyes, but for the first time, it's playful. "Is that a joke?" he asks. "Are you telling jokes now?"

He hears Riku chuckle softly before he winces in sharp pain. "I can tell a good joke when I want to." Despite the wince, his tone is still light. "Now get in."

Sora doesn't have to be told twice; the weight of the night seems to hit him all at once, and all he wants is to sleep. The bed is warm and soft, he practically sinks into the mattress. Once he pulls the blanket up to cover him, Sora sighs in contentment; so this is how a royal sleeps. The bed is large enough that it feels like there's an ocean between him and Riku, yet, at the same time, Sora can feel the warmth radiating off Riku and, he's somewhat tempted to scoot closer to it.

They both lie in silence for a few minutes. Sora's not sure if they're supposed to talk at all, or just let each other drift off to sleep; he's never shared a bed with someone before, in any meaning of the phrase. However, even as his eyes grow heavy, and he sinks deeper into the bed, there's something Sora just has to say. "I haven't thanked you for saving my life yet," he whispers. "So, uh, thanks."

For a moment, there's nothing. Sora wonders if Riku's already fallen asleep, but he's relieved when he hears Riku shuffle behind him. "You're welcome," he whispers back. "You saved mine too, which means I owe you a thanks too."

"Does that make us even or something?" Again, Riku laughs, and it's a sound Sora realizes he really enjoys hearing.

"I guess it does, but how about we leave the score at one and one." Sora nods, even though Riku can't see him. There's quiet again and, as tired as Sora is, he actually doesn't want to stop talking to Riku. The sound of his voice is comforting, his laugh is contagious, his warmth is alluring; where was this Riku when Sora first stepped inside the castle?

"So...about that curse; you were a real jerk to that old lady, huh?" Sora starts to laugh at his own joke, but he's cut off when a pillow hits the back of his head. Sora rubs the back of his head and turns to face Riku, who's holding the pillow in his hand and laughing. His eyes narrow and he grabs the pillow he'd been resting on; Sora swings the pillow wildly in Riku's direction, but Riku blocks it with his own swing.

They fight back and forth for a few minutes, laughing like kids as they try to wack each other and cover the bed in white feathers. They seem to run out of energy at the same time, already exhausted from the night's earlier events. Both lie back down, out of breath, but still giggling. This time they're facing each other and, during the pillow fight, they'd both scooted closer towards the center of the bed, leaving far less space between them now.

They're so close now that Sora can make out Riku's features in the soft illumination of the fire. He's studying Riku's face closely, so focused that he almost doesn't notice when, through tired, shaky breaths, Riku calls out, "hey Sora?"

Upon realizing he's been called, Sora shakes out of his daze. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming back."

The words throw Sora off; he isn't sure how to respond to them. He remembers how close he'd been to freedom in the woods, how easy it would have been to run back towards home, to leave Riku out in the woods to bleed out. But, no matter how much he misses Roxas, he couldn't bring himself to abandon Riku. He's happy Riku is thankful, but they already exchanged their thank you's for what happened out in the woods. So what exactly did Riku mean?

Sora yawns, interrupting his thoughts; he's too tired to dwell on it now. For once, instead of asking, he just sighs, nods, and says, "you're welcome."

After that, Sora doesn't remember much else, but, at some point, he drifts off into a peaceful sleep, his face just inches from Riku's.

* * *

As soon as Sora closes the bedroom door, Kairi feels a pair of hands on her shoulders. She hops in surprise, but turns to glare up at a smug Lea. "I'll admit there have been some bumps in the road, but everything's going perfectly," he says. Despite his optimism, Kairi's glare doesn't fall.

"We got lucky," she says, turns to start her trek down the hall, with Lea right at her heels. "You can't force love, Lea. It has to happen naturally."

"You'll have to forgive me for feeling like we don't have time for _naturally_."

"This isn't funny," Kairi snaps. "Sora's sweet and kind; I want to fix things just as much as you do, but Sora is a person, not a tool for us to use."

Kairi's words seem to set off something in Lea. His usual, chipper demeanor falters and, all of a sudden, he's serious. "I get it, I like Sora too. But you know who else I like?" Kairi averts her gaze to avoid looking Lea in his eyes. "Isa. And Xion. Hell, even Ienzo."

"Okay I get it-"

"And how long until Hayner, Pence, and Olette disappear? Or me? What happens when you fade away?" Kairi doesn't answer, not because she's worried for herself, but because of what her loss might mean for Sora. For Riku. She sighs, and finally looks back up at Lea with sad eyes.

"Things are going to get fixed," she says. "Sora saved him, and he came back. He's the one, I know he is." Her words seem to perk Lea back up. "But we have to give them time. It's not going to happen overnight, Lea."

Even though he's reluctant to relent, Lea nods.

The two hear several pairs of footsteps heading their way and turn away from each to greet Hayner, Pence, and Olette. As they come closer, Lea and Kairi make an effort to drop their conversation and act as if they were discussing something else.

"How are they?" Olette asks.

"Fine, Riku's asleep," Kairi starts, but she can't say much else before Lea pipes in.

"With Sora!" the butler whispers gleefully, as if he's sharing some well-guarded secret. All three of them exchange glances of surprise, but it's Olette who claps her hands together and cheers. Her squeak is just a little too loud, and Kairi quickly shushes her.

"Sorry, it's just so exciting!" Olette whispers with a grin that rivals Lea's.

"Eh, it doesn't mean anything," Hayner waves his hand, ever the pessimist. "Sora was dying to get out of here an hour ago."

"Come on Hayner, admit it! It's so romantic!"

As they all make their way down the stairs towards their quarters, Olette sways and throws her arms around an invisible man. She starts to hum a familiar tune, as if she's sharing a dance. "Tale as old as time, true as it can be..."

"You've got to stop singing that song," Hayner groans, but he joins the rest of the servants in laughing along with Olette.

Kairi finds herself trailing behind, watching with bittersweet eyes as Olette grabs Hayner and attempts to force him to dance with her; Pence has joined in singing Olette's and Lea is laughing away, seemingly with a care in the world. She remembers Lea's words earlier and, much to her horror, Kairi can practically see the four of them fading into nothingness, leaving her alone. But she blinks and they're still in front of her, still laughing with a contagious yawn spreading between them.

How much longer do they have? It's a question she avoids asking, but now, it seems there's no more denying the danger. As much as she hates to admit it, Lea is right; Sora is their only hope and, if this is going to work, it's going to take some divine intervention...from some very well-meaning servants.

"Kairi?"

Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of her name. She returns to the present moment to find only Lea staring at her from the bottom of the stairs. Kairi turns her head back and forth in a panic searching for Hayner, Pence, and Olette, but her fears are eased when Lea chuckles and shakes his head. "They went on ahead." She nods and chuckles nervously, both embarrassed and worried at how easily she feared the worst.

Luckily, Lea seems to be able to read her mind. He jerks his head in the direction of the hallway, urging Kairi to follow him. "I know I came on a little too strong back there. We can stress ourselves out in the morning, yeah?"

Kairi smiles and finishes her descent down the stairs, increasing her stride so she can catch up with Lea. "Seven a.m," Lea says out of nowhere. Kairi looks up at him with eyebrows raised in confusion. "That's our call time tomorrow; got it memorized? We'll have to start early, something tells me you and I have our work cut out for us."

Well, at least Kairi isn't totally alone...not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and feedback are much appreciated!
> 
> Hope you're all excited for chapter 6! No spoilers, but chapter 6 is all about something...that wasn't there before. ;)
> 
> P.S. Against my better judgement, I've started another SoRiku fic. It's inspired by the Star Wars film Rogue One; so if you love Star Wars, or the idea of Sora and Riku as freedom fighters in space, you should give it a read!


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